"spent hours insulating pipes only to find a tiny crack near the basement window"
Been there—those overlooked spots can really bite you. Couple extra tips:
- Always double-check exterior vents; they're sneaky cold-air culprits.
- Consider pipe heating cables for vulnerable areas... saved me more than once.
I've had mixed results with heating cables—yeah, they're handy, but they can add up quick if you're on a tight budget. Here's what worked better for me: first, seal up any small gaps around windows or vents with expanding foam (cheap and effective). Then wrap pipes in foam insulation sleeves—easy to install yourself and pretty affordable. Finally, keep cabinet doors open under sinks during cold snaps...sounds silly, but it helps circulate warm air. Saved me from another 3 AM basement flood last winter.
Heating cables can be hit-or-miss for sure. I've had tenants unplug them without telling me, thinking they're saving electricity...then boom, burst pipes at midnight. Learned pretty quick to rely more on insulation and sealing drafts like you mentioned. Also, a quick tip: if you've got pipes running through an exterior wall, sometimes just letting the faucet drip slightly overnight can prevent freezing. Not ideal long-term, but beats mopping up icy water at 2 AM.
Had a similar issue last winter—pipes froze even with heating cables installed. Makes me wonder if they're really worth the hassle...maybe insulation and sealing drafts is the smarter long-term fix? Anyone else skeptical about heating cables?
Heating cables can help, but they're not a silver bullet. I've seen plenty of frozen pipes wrapped in them—usually due to poor installation or just brutal cold snaps. Insulation and sealing drafts definitely give you more bang for your buck long-term, IMO.
